


Up a Tree

by notmydayjob



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-19
Updated: 2015-05-19
Packaged: 2018-03-31 06:39:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3968212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notmydayjob/pseuds/notmydayjob
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I. Am. Stuck. In. This. Bloody. Tree.” He accented each word by banging the front of his head on a nearby branch. “Would you please be so kind as to help me down?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Up a Tree

**Author's Note:**

> Still in the same LOTR universe but they are teenagers-ish.   
> Whatever that equates to for elves and dwarves. 
> 
> From OTP prompts on tumblr - "Imagine person A getting stuck up a tree and B has to teach them how to climb down."

Every once in a while an opportunity arises that cannot be ignored.

For Kili, it was a chance to wander away from his uncle’s watchful eye and practice his archery on his own. He was finally deemed mature enough to travel beyond the Lonely Mountain to Laketown without his brother looking after him. But beyond that, he must be accompanied by either his uncle Thorin or a group of soldiers.

On this occasion, Thorin had taken Kili, Bofur, and Dwalin out on an exploring trip, like they sometimes would. Thorin had been looking quite exhausted lately and was urged by Balin to take some time off. After they had traveled and climbed what Kili supposed must have been half of bloody Erebor, they set up camp for the night.

Bofur had loaded his pack down with the best ale and beer the mountain had to offer. Throughout their meal and on into the night, they drank as only dwarves could. Kili thought it unfair that he was not allowed any yet, until dawn came and everyone, except for Kili, was out cold. With the sun barely peeking over the horizon and three dwarves sleeping soundly inside their tents, he pulled on his boots, grabbed his bow and quiver, then crept quietly from the camp.

Never one to fear running into mischief, (he’d been told it was his middle name) Kili headed west towards the bit of forest he had spotted yesterday on their journey.  
Being a dwarf he had heard tales of what terrible creatures lived in the woods. Kili was bold enough and curious enough to come near the forest but he wasn’t an orc-brained idiot. If you dared him, he would of course venture into Mirkwood, but no one else was around to see his bravery so he contented himself with being near the place he was forbidden to enter.

As he neared the edge of trees he spotted a giant oak standing several yards out among the rest. Deciding it would make an excellent target he drew his arrow. Placing his feet as his uncle had shown him, he aimed, took a breath, and let go.

To Kili’s dismay he did not hit the exact knot in the tree he was aiming for. He grabbed another arrow and made ready to shoot. In the second before he let go, a rustling nearby startled him, making his arrow fly up into the tree. He grumbled at the noisy bunny rabbit that had ruined his shot as he marched up to the old oak.

Kili gazed up, up, and up into the branches and weighed the options before him. He could leave the arrow where it was and continue practicing, only, the arrows had been borrowed from his uncle and he would have to invent a story about how he had lost them. He would definitely be punished.  
He could go back and tell his uncle the truth about the arrow and they might help him get it back, then he’d be less punished for telling the truth. But…..then Thorin would know Kili had been on the outskirts of Mirkwood and he would be be HEAVILY punished. No more freedom. No more desserts. No more fun.   
He could argue that bringing him this close to a place he was specifically told not to go near was cruel for someone as curious as he, but he doubted his uncle would fall for his charming smile. 

Or....

Kili could climb the tree, retrieve the arrow, and only get lectured about not wandering off on his own. With any luck he could make it back before they noticed he was missing.

Gritting his teeth, he jumped and swung onto the lowest branch. Being a tall dwarf did have its advantages. He scrambled and huffed his way up to where his arrow was lodged in the tree, then carefully straddled the limb and scooted his way across to reach it. He pulled it free with a cheer and started to turn around when he realized just how high up he was.

Kili did not think he was afraid of heights. He had walked across the ledge of the parapet dozens of times. But stone did not sway and creak with the wind. It was solid and sure. Unlike the tree he was currently holding onto dear life for.

“I am never climbing a tree again!” He thought.

Enough time had passed, while he sat in the tree, that Kili almost decided to yell for help and hope it was someone friendly who found him.

“I did not know dwarves were fond of trees.”

Kili looked out into the forest to see who had spoken. The voice was soft and clear. Unlike anyone he had ever heard before.

“Wh…ho’s there?” He was proud his voice only shook a little.

Out of the dark foliage came a tall, green figure. As the elf stepped into the sunlight, Kili’s heart stopped. There before him was the most radiant and beautiful creature he had ever seen. She was also terrifying with her knives held loosely by her sides. Durin’s beard he was a fool for going off on his own! He had even left his knife and bow on the ground. Unarmed and up a tree.

“You are very far from home, little dwarf.” She said evenly.

Kili cleared his throat. “My company is not far from here. King Thorin is on a exploration outing.” 

“Yet you are all alone?” 

Kili audibly gulped.

The elf below him laughed but he was not sure whether he should be at ease or not.

“Fear not, dwarf. If I had wanted to harm you I would have done so when you arrived. You are quite the archer.” 

Her face was expressionless as she spoke but Kili quickly spotted a familiar mischievousness in her eyes. He relaxed but a little on his swaying perch.   
Blushing slightly from her jab at his mishap, he attempted to recover some of his pride.

“So you’ve been spying on me in secret have you?”

He hoped his charm worked on elves as well as it did dwarves.

She was just as quick witted back with her response.

“It’s hardly spying when you are the one trespassing, now is it?”

Her words were harsh but her tone was playful.

“I suppose not.” Kili said sheepishly. ”May I ask your name, lady?”

“Tauriel.”

“Tauriel.” He repeated back in a whisper. 

She waited as he gazed down at her in awe. He shook himself and remembered his manners.

“Prince Kili of the Lonely Mountains, at your service!” 

He tried to manage a slight bow of sorts as his uncle had taught him, but he only wobbled from his seat. Tauriel politely hid her grin and slowly nodded once to him.

“Mae g'ovannen, Prince Kili. If you would care to come down I could repair your arrow for you?”

The way she spoke made Kili sure she knew he was quite stuck. 

“I, uh, think I will just sit up here a bit longer, actually. It’s quite a lovely view I think, really.”

“If you wish. Farewell, Prince Kili.” 

She nodded again and turned back to the forest.

Kili panicked as his only hope started to walk off and abandon him. He swallowed his pride and yelled after her.

“Tauriel, wait!”

The elf stopped but did not turn around. She was trying to compose her face from laughing, though Kili did not know this.

“The truth is....I’ve climbed up and can’t get back down.” He said very quietly.

Tauriel turned to look up at him and her face was pure innocence.

“Forgive me, I did not hear you.” 

“Blast your elf ears! I know you heard me!”

Tauriel could no longer hide her smile at his frustration.

“Perhaps if you spoke a little clearer, master dwarf….”

“I. Am. Stuck. In. This. Bloody. Tree.” He accented each word by banging the front of his head on a nearby branch. “Would you please be so kind as to help me down?”

Swifter than his eyes could follow, Tauriel was up in the tree and by his side. Her elven beauty was even more breathtaking up close. He could see her fair skin dotted with freckles like the stars in the sky. 

“Are you able to let go of the tree?” She asked gently. 

“I really don’t know if I can.” He was beyond embarrassed by this point. “Thank goodness Fili isn’t here!“ he thought. 

“You are going to have to trust me, Kili. Can you do that?”

Kili nodded. “I…I think so.”

“Close your eyes.”

Tauriel waited patiently until he complied. 

“Now, give me your hands.” 

Kili grasped one of her hands each of his own. With surprising strength she pulled him up onto his feet and placed her hand on his back to guide him

“Slowly turn around, place your hand on this limb, now ease your left foot down….”

Cautiously following Tauriel’s orders, he made his way blindly down the tree with shaking knees. 

“Reach out in front of you……You are going to have to let go of that other branch first, Kili……..Both hands……”

As he stretched out and grabbed the branch his cloak became snagged in the tree. His foot slipped and he was left tangled and hanging what felt like miles above the ground.

“Tauriel! Tauriel help…….I’m….”

“Kili?”

Kili was surprised to hear her voice so close to him.

“Open your eyes.” She said with a laugh.

He stopped flailing and slowly cracked them open. Right in front of him at eye level was Tauriel. He looked down only to discover he was only a few feet from the ground.

“Oh.” He said, as looked from the ground to the elf in front of him.

She leaned in close and Kili held his breath as his heart hammered in his chest. She reached above him and unhooked his cloak.

“There.” She said softly gazing into his dark eyes.

A few moments passed without them moving or looking away. Kili was lost in her eyes. He was suddenly breathless and warm.

“Kili!”

A deep thundering voice broke the spell they seemed to have on each other. Kili let go and fell to the ground. He turned towards his uncle’s call over the distant hills then back to Tauriel but she had vanished. Not even a trace of her left around.

“Kili!”

This time it was Bofur, much closer too.

He grabbed his belongings and ran to the other dwarves. His mind, however, was in the forest.


End file.
